udmund, as he came back from the
Heath-slayings</i>.

Bardi, the son of Gudmund, and his brothers, rode home to Asbiornsness
after their parting with Grettir.

They were the sons of Gudmund, the son of Solmund. The mother of
Solmund was Thorlaug, the daughter of Saemund, the South-Island man,
the foster-brother of Ingimund the Old, and Bardi was a very noble
man.

Now soon he rode to find Thorarin the Wise, his foster-father. He
welcomed Bardi well, and asked what gain he had got of followers and
aid, for they had before taken counsel over Bardi's journey. Bardi
answered that he had got the aid of that man to his fellow, whose aid
he deemed better than that of any other twain. Thorarin got silent
thereat, and then said,

"That man will be Grettir Asmundson."

"<i>Sooth is the sage's guess</i>," said Bardi; "that is the very man,
foster-father."

Thorarin answered, "True it is, that Grettir is much before any other
man of those who are to choose in our land, and late will he be won
with weapons, if he be hale, yet it misdoubts me how far he will bring
thee luck; but of thy following all must not be luckless, and enough
ye will do, though he fare not with thee: nowise shall he go if I may
have my will."

"This I could not have deemed, foster-father," said he, "that thou
wouldst grudge me the aid of the bravest of men, if my need should be
hard. A man cannot foresee all things when he is driven on as methinks
I am."

"Thou wilt do well," said Thorarin; "though thou abidest by my
foresight."

Now thus must things be, even as Thorarin would, that no word more was
sent to Grettir, but Bardi fared south to Burgfirth, and then befell
the Heath-slayings.

Grettir was at Biarg when he heard that Bardi had ridden south; he
started up in anger for that no word had been sent to him, and said
that not thus should they part. He had news of them when they
were looked for coming from the south, and thereat he rode down to
Thorey's-peak, for the waylaying of Bardi's folk as they came back
from the south: he fared from the homestead up on to the hill-side,
and abode there. That same day rode Bardi and his men north over
Twodaysway, from the Heath-slayings; they were six in all, and every
man sore wounded; and when they came forth by the homestead, then said
Bardi--

"A man there is up on the hill-side; a big man, armed. What man do ye
take him to be?"

They said that they wotted not who he was.

Bardi said, "Methink